🎙 In this episode, I sit down with Tamara Munoz, a Fractional COO specialist and founder of Behind the Screens. Together, we explore how to get high-level operational support before you can justify appointing a full-time COO, and what it really looks like to extract yourself from the day-to-day while still running a lean, human-centric business that supports your goals of being present for family and living with purpose and peace. If, like Steve, you want a fractional operations manager, somebody to be your “second brain” and basically do all of the essential stuff that you just wish you didn't have to do, this episode is for you. KEY TAKEAWAYS 💡Small Businesses Need COOs Too: You don’t need a big team to be a “real” CEO: even a lean, lifestyle-focused business benefits hugely from fractional COO support. 💡Hire Fractional Brains, Not Just Fractional Hands: At a certain stage, another assistant isn’t the answer. A fractional COO becomes your “2nd brain” - they turn your vision into contracts, systems and hires that fuel growth while you continue to steer your business. 💡You Decide What ‘Big Enough’ Is: Top‑line growth that crushes your profit or your nervous system is fake success. Define what presence, peace, and security look like for you, then only scale in ways that protect all three. BEST MOMENTS  01:04 - 💬 “ I can grow my business without losing control, without breaking the bank, and also to do it without breaking my lifestyle goals of living with more presence, purpose and peace.” - Steve Day 15:35 - 💬 “ I call it CEO extraction. We gotta get you out of the trenches. We walk them through this whole framework.” - Tamara Munoz 26:18 - 💬 “ Then make decisions based on, okay, we are fully optimised, and we're nearing capacity. What's our next step?” - Tamara Munoz TIMESTAMPED OVERVIEW 00:00 Intro: Getting operational support 11:45 Defining what success will look like 24:50 Scaling a company with a fractional COO 34:36 Finding peace and presence VALUABLE RESOURCES Get free access to our DIDACT and Recruit Right frameworks—here's the link to our best Guides, Frameworks, and Templates: https://sys.academy/guides LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE GUEST  Website https://behindthescreens.biz IG PAGE: https://www.instagram.com/behindthescreens.biz IG Profile: https://www.instagram.com/tamaramunozwhilden ABOUT THE GUEST  Tamara Munoz is a Fractional COO for leading online businesses and founder of Behind the Screens, partnering with growth-minded CEOs to build calm, effective operations. After running high-stakes, 24/7 operations for brands like Disney and Starbucks, she saw firsthand how traditional corporate systems burn people out—and became determined to prove you can protect both people and performance. Today, Tamara leads a 22-person team, helping founders get out of the trenches, close operational gaps, and reclaim their time without sacrificing growth. A first-generation American, she now finds joy in travelling and cooking with her husband and three young children. LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/ Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42 ABOUT THE HOST Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/